Stones
by AW555
Summary: A wise philosopher once said, "It is possible to provide security against other ills, but as far as death is concerned, we men live in a city without walls." Loki found this extremely true when it came to the mortals who inhabited Midgard. FROSTIRON CHARACTER DEATH


A wise philosopher once said, "It is possible to provide security against other ills, but as far as death is concerned, we men live in a city without walls." Loki found this extremely true when it came to the mortals who inhabited Midgard. These humans were so fragile with their short life spans, weak bodies, and general ignorance of how the realms worked.

At one time in his long life, he had sought to use the weaknesses of the human body and mind in order to rule them. In fact, it had only been thirty years prior when he had, as was commonly thrown at him during banter with certain Avengers, "killed 80 people in two days." However merely days ago he had watched as the one human on this entire forsaken planet that he cared for left the world of the living to make his trip to Loki's own daughter in Helheim.

Loki's eyes traced the crowd of people who gathered around the casket he was currently standing near. To his right was his brother, returned for Asgard to see the sending of his once comrade to the netherworld. To his left were the ageless scientist and super human, both of them would live very long, if not nearly forever, because of the experiments conducted on their persons. On the other side of the casket stood the "Spy Kids," as Loki's lover had fondly deemed them. Next to the priest, who was still giving his spill about "walking through the valley of death" and many other sentimental phrases that Loki assumed comforted these humans in some way, was the wife of his now dead lover. Loki's finger nails dug into the palms of his hands, nearly to the point of bleeding.

Even to this day, even after his lover's death, the sight of the woman angered him. Loki's lover had explained to him that his marriage to the woman was only political. He needed a legitimate heir for his empire. Even if he claimed Loki as his eternal partner, even if Loki bore him children with his Jotun body, they would never be accepted, and this could cause the collapse of the entire world economy, in the long run. Loki believed that woman had expedited his lover's death. She had gone into the marriage knowing that it was not for love. She had known she was to merely give Loki's lover an heir, and then she could live her life happily, never having to work again. However, this woman had other ideas. She wanted a "proper marriage." She did not want his lover's attentions on anyone but herself. Loki imagines the last few years he had with his lover would have been much more pleasant had she not been around. Loki found himself snarling as he thought of how much she had bitched and moaned at his lover, the stress of her commotions showing in the bags under his lover's eyes, the slouch in his posture. In the end, Loki still believes it was the stress of it all that killed his lover.

Sensing Loki's swirling emotions, as well as hearing his snarl, Thor gripped his brother's hand, squeezing it gently. Loki found himself calming down, relaxing into the handhold. He smiled bitterly. In the end, it had not mattered. He had been the only one in the room with his lover when he died. He had gotten the last words of his lover, and they were beautiful. It was a memory that Loki would cherish for the rest of his very long life.

"Loki….I had not known what love truly was until the moment I met you. You are and have always been the most beautiful being I have ever known. There is no one in this world, and I do mean no one that I would rather spend my last few moments," and at this, his lover had to take a break to take a few raspy breaths, "of this life with. I love you Loki. If there is even a millionth of a chance that there is an afterlife, then I will continue to love you forever."

His lover gasped for more air, tangling his weak fingers through Loki's hair.

"There is one last thing….my son…I had the lawyer sign papers to give my parenting rights away to you. I wish for you to help raise my child. I do not trust my wife as far as even you or Thor could through her. Watch over him. Make sure he grows into the type of man I could never be."

Loki gently grabbed the hand that was in his hair, kissing it on the palm. "Of course my love. You know that I would do anything for both you and that child. Do not fret over his raising."

His lover smiled at him one last time, "Hey Loki, you know, I never did get you that drink…."

Those were the last words his lover had said to him. His hand gently slipped from Loki's grasp, landing with a soft _thump_ onto the bed.

There have been very few moments in Loki's existence where he has openly sobbed. This was one of them. He clutched the frail, elderly body of his lover to his chest as he mourned his loss. He cried, he screamed, he shook the body begging his daughter to return this lost soul back to him. His cries were left unanswered, as he logically knew they would be. Instead, he was left with a dead, cold, even at the very seconds after his death now decaying body. Loki stood, called for the nurses, and walked out of the room, the room he had spent many a night in, but never again.

The funeral procession was coming to an end. Thor tugged gently on Loki's arm to follow the line that was walking past his lover's dead body, to say their last goodbyes. At Loki's turn, he gazed at the man who had been his lover for nearly thirty years, the "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist", the Ironman, the man who was known as Tony Stark. Even in dead and in his late 70's, he had quite the looks Loki noted. Loki could not help the smile that graced his face, knowing that Tony would be happy at least he looked good for the ladies even in death. Loki bent down to kiss the lips of his lover one last time before he let Thor lead him to their limo. The two brothers were to head back to Asgard. Loki had not been home in nearly twenty years, since the trip he took Tony on to introduce him to his parents. It was about time he saw his mother again.

As the limo pulled away, Loki watched as the casket was slowly lowered into the ground, tears streaking down his cheeks. He would not stay in Asgard forever. No, he merely needed some time to be with his mother, to mourn. He would return to Midgard. He had made a promise to Tony. He had a little boy to help raise. He would make sure that the boy became everything that Tony could never see that he already was, absolutely perfect to him.


End file.
